These two board a train to Germany along with a man from each of the four occupying counties. Mr. England is Robert Coote, a pipe-smoking conversationalist. Mr. America is Robert Ryan, the hulking hero type with a sweet spot for Oberon, who is interested but plays hard to get. Mr. France is Charles Korvin, an amiable businessman. Mr. Russia is Roman Toporow, a self-satisfied military officer who naively boasts of his country in Chekov of "Star Trek" fashion.
Lukas is kidnapped by German radicals, and the international foursome are convinced by Oberon to team up, play detective, and find Lucas. Apparently, the occupation government is not good at that sort of thing. Meanwhile, the radicals threaten to torture poor Lukas. Will he be rescued by the Fantastic Four in time? What do you think?
How I felt about it. This movie provides an interesting look at a heavily bombed Berlin shortly after the war, before it was successfully rebuilt. The stark black and white cinematography has the look of a documentary, particularly during filler scenes that don't feature any of the leads. Unfortunately, the actors dominate the movie, and the story (kidnapped important world leader to be rescued by hero) is all too familiar, even for 1948. For example, Foreign Correspondent (1940), which had better dialogue and pacing and a superior cast.
The problems for Berlin Express continue with its characters. Ryan proves to be exactly the manly, chivalrous, courageous, and perceptive fellow that his American audience expect him to be. Likewise, Oberon is absolutely devoted to her charge, Lukas, who in turn is the kindest and most humble world leader imaginable. He shows no fear of his captors, and will not talk (or even curse) under threat of torture. Coote, as Mr. England, exudes camaraderie and mildly useful information yet inevitably cedes the action and glory to Mr. America.
The diffident character of Mr. Russia reflects American mixed feelings toward his country. The Soviet Union was never a friend during World War II, only the enemy of an enemy. Once the enemy, Germany, was vanquished, the godless communist country quickly transitioned to Cold War opponent. In 1948, there was still hope in the West that the Soviet Union would play ball. This combination of hope and reduced expectations is reflected in Toporow's character. He's a good guy at his very core, but getting to that core is frustrating because of his degree of indoctrination.